


Incubus

by devo79



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-14
Updated: 2012-04-14
Packaged: 2017-11-03 15:29:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/382985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devo79/pseuds/devo79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Xander's been keeping a dangerous secret from the scoobies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

He hadn’t meant to kill him.

Fuck!

He’d just been so damn hungry and yeah he should have know he didn’t have the self-control for an actual sexual connection.

Damn it!

But he’d been so hungry.

The last month had been spent fighting the newest big bad. The leader had tried to kill Buffy and Dawn, prompting Giles to herd them all over to Buffy’s house. It had been decided that the Scoobies shouldn’t go anywhere on their own. So Xander had spent 32 days cooped up in the watcher’s house together with Buffy, Tara, Willow, Giles, Dawn and Spike.

He’d been so hungry.

He could practically feel his energy levels fall a little every day. He'd even tried to hang around outside Willow and Tara’s room hoping to catch at least some stray sexual energy, but of course he hadn’t been that lucky. And Dawn…the kid was a walking pheromone oozing lust, need and sex everywhere.

It was the night he caught himself staring at Dawn and imagining…that he announced he had to go check on his mother. Willow worried but Xander had given her the old goofy-Xander-bumble-fumble song and dance and she had bought it.

Giles had suggested that he should take Spike with him. Xander was sure his heart actually stopped beating for a few seconds while he repeated his song and dance routine until Giles had nodded and waved him off.

And then he had gone out. Found a bar and a guy. Xander hadn’t even had to turn up his special charm…much. Tall, blond and muscular with a nice smile had walked right up to him and bought him a drink. Turned out they watched the same TV-shows.

Mark. 

His name had been Mark and now he was dead and cold in a motel room.

Xander closed his eyes. He felt so full. Mark’s life force was flowing through him. He could almost see it shining under his skin. Could feel it strengthening him.

He wouldn’t need to feed for a few weeks now. Mark had been young and healthy.

Mark had loved Babylon 5 and Star Wars.

Mark was dead.

Xander wasn’t.

All in all a successful night.


	2. Chapter 2

“An entire frat house?” Buffy asked disbelievingly and frowned.

“Yes,” Giles said and put another leather-bound book down on the table.

Xander looked around the table. Tara and Willow were looking through one of the books, slowly turning the pages, inspecting the black and white drawings that accompanied the descriptions of demons.

“Fledges,” Spike said from his position on the stairs.

“No,” Giles shook his head “None of them had been bitten. Officially they all died of acute food poisoning.”

“An entire frat house?” Dawn repeated Buffy’s earlier question and pushed her algebra book away.

“My source at the coroner’s office told me that they all had small burn marks on their chests and around their mouths,” Giles started leafing through the oldest of the books. Xander shifted uneasily on his chair.

“So some new big bad?” Xander said, trying his best to make his voice even and just slightly bored.

“Actually…” Giles said and tapped his index finger against a coloured drawing in the book. “a very old big bad.”

“Old?” Spike walked over to Giles and looked over his shoulder. The blond vampire snagged the book out of the watcher’s fingers ignoring the stern look of disapproval.

“Well hello,” Spike drawled and turned the book so the Scoobies could see.

“What?” Dawn said and arched her neck so she could get a better view of the drawing.

“Succubus,” Spike grinned.

“Isn’t that some kind of sex demon thingy?” Buffy asked and reached out and took the book from Spike.

“Yes,” Giles nodded and started looking through another book “They feed off the sexual energy of humans,” Giles suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

“And?” Willow asked.

“Perhaps Dawn should…” Giles looked over at the door to the training room.

“Oh…” Buffy looked over at her little sister “Take your homework and finish it in there,” Buffy said and pointed over at the door.

“Awww man,” Dawn grumbled as she gathered her books “So not fair,” she stomped out of the room.

“In Western legends, a succubus is a demon in the form of a beautiful woman. She’ll seduce a man and draw energy from him to sustain herself,” Giles explained the second the door to the training room closed.

”So the man dies?” Buffy was eying the staked she had been fiddling with only a few minutes ago.

”Not always,” Giles explained ”But more often than not. The victim is left with burn marks on their chests and sometimes on their lips.”

”So how do we kill it?” Xander asked, his hands clenched under the table, out of sight.

”According to the Malleus Maleficarum,” Giles tapped a different book on the table ”A book used by the Catholic Church…exorcism is one of the ways to overcome an attack of a succubus.”

”So we do a nifty spell or pray or whatever and she’ll shrivel up and die?” Xander’s knuckles hurt, he was tightening his hands so damn hard.

”It is one of the ways,” Giles continued ”But other sources claim that it isn’t very effective. The other options are sacramental confession...the Sign of the Cross. Some even claim that moving the afflicted man to another location should be enough.”

”That doesn’t really help those guys from the frat house,” Willow pointed out.

”True,” Giles admitted.

”I-isn’t a succubus the same kind of d-demon as an i-incubus?” Tara asked.

”Oh yes,” Giles smiled encouragingly ”But an incubus is the male version and would never attack a man.”

”How come?” Spike asked.

”An incubus isn’t homosexual or bisexual,” Giles closed the oldest book reverently and didn’t notice Xander shaking his head minutely.

”Hey!” Buffy laughed and pushed her book to the centre of the table ”Says here an incubus can be recognised by its unnaturally cold penis.”

Giles started polishing his glasses vigorously.

\------------------------------------------------

Xander snorted as he made his way through the crowds inside the Bronze.

An unnaturally cold penis?!

Please!

He laughed and a few of the women standing by the bar eyed him uncertainly.

”Wonder if one of those good and pure Catholic priests actually touched an incubus’ cock?” Xander chuckled and finally made it to the door.

\-------------------------------------------------

God! He couldn’t believe his luck. Fuck, this chick was hot. All big eyes and bigger tits. He fumbled his hand around under her tight top.

“Mmmmmm,” she mumbled into his mouth. She started sucking harder on his mouth, her hands pressed against his chest.

At some point, he had no idea when, she must have unbuttoned his shirt. Unbuttoned it and sneaked her hands inside. The skin under her hands felt incredibly warm, almost scorching hot. Man, she was so good at kissing that he felt light-headed.

Suddenly she was pulled away from him, leaving him dazed and blinking.

\--------------------------------------------------------

“Stupid fucking cunt!” Xander growled into the girl’s face.

The kid she had been feeding on was stumbling around behind him, trying to get his feet to behave.

“Let go,” she shrieked.

“A whole frat house?!” Xander slammed her against the wall and smiled when he heard her head connect with the damp red bricks.

“Fuck off!” she tried to push him away but he was much stronger.

“W-w-what’s going on?” the kid had given up on standing unaided and was leaning heavily against the alley wall.

“You don’t feed like that, stupid bitch.” Xander pressed his hand against her throat.

“What the hell do you care?” she gasped and her fingers pressed against his chest.

“I have to live here,” Xander said quietly “When you move on to the next town and the next man…I still live here,” he highlighted his words by putting more pressure on her pulse point.

She gurgled.

“Where are the others?” Xander demanded to know.

“F-fu-fuck you,” she finally managed.

“I don’t think so,” Xander smiled and kissed her. She struggled for a minute or so. Then she simply hung lifelessly in his arms as he pulled her close to his chest. Her heartbeat stuttered and stopped.

Still holding her in his arms he turned and looked at the kid.

“You okay?” Xander asked.

“I-I’m kinda dizzy,” the kid mumbled.

“You here alone?” Xander looked over at the backdoor to the Bronze.

“No…m-my friends are…” he pointed uncertainly in the direction of the door.

“Go in there,” Xander said “Tell them you’re not feeling too good.”

The kid nodded and looked blearily up at him. “Is she gonna be okay?” he asked and pointed a shaking finger at the girl in Xander’s arms.

“Oh yeah,” Xander nodded “She’ll be fine. I just have to get her home so she can sleep it off.”

The kid nodded and stumbled over to the door. He fumbled with the door handle but finally managed to open it and disappear inside.

Xander looked down at the corpse in his arms and dragged her over to the dumpster. He propped her against the side of it and flipped the lid open. He picked her back up and dumped her inside. Closed the lid and walked out of the alley.

She couldn’t have killed off an entire frat house alone. There would be others and he’d have to find them.


	3. Chapter 3

He sat in the darkest corner of the bar and watched her work her magic.

A slim pale hand gracefully running a finger suggestively down her glass. A pink tongue playfully licking pouty lips. She would giggle or laugh beautifully and toss her strawberry blond hair over her shoulder.

\-------------------------------------------------

“Hey, Lana.” Xander said quietly and pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against outside the motel.

“Xander?!” the young woman looked up from the door she was closing behind her. She smiled, walked over to Xander and hugged him. Xander gasped when he felt the residual energy sizzle between their bodies and stepped back.

“Having a good night?” he asked and pointedly looked down at the dollar bills in her slim hand.

She looked up at him and nodded. “Oh yeah,” she licked her lips “I’m feed and well paid.”

“And a good time was had by all?” Xander asked and looked over at the door she had just walked out of.

The door opened and a man stumbled outside. He buckled his belt and swayed dangerously for a second before he started walking over the parking lot. He stopped next to a black truck and fumbled with his car keys.

He cursed and then managed to unlock the truck. The man got in and a few seconds later he drove out of the motel’s parking lot.

“He got laid and lives to tell the tale,” Lana giggled and Xander smiled down at her and shook his head affectionately.

“You hungry?” Xander asked and pulled on a strawberry blond curl.

“You offering?” Lana asked and looked Xander over with smouldering eyes.

“In your dreams,” he snorted, pulled her close and gave her a noogie.

“Hey!” she snapped indignantly and ran her hands through the curly hair “Not the hair, man.”

Xander laughed and walked over to his car. Lana followed, her high heels clicking against the asphalt.

“Pizza?” she asked hopefully.

“Nope,” Xander shook his head and unlocked the car “Burgers.”

\--------------------------------------------------------

“No way!” Lana said loudly making a few of the other customers look in their direction.

“Oh yeah,” Xander took a sip of his 7up “The entire frat house.”

“Stupid bitches,” she said in a serious and quiet voice “The slayer’s gonna go on a rampage,” Lana shivered and tried to hide it by grabbing hold of her burger and taking a bite.

“I’d always warn you, Lana. You know that,” Xander said and let his fingers curl gently around her thin wrist. She looked up at him.

“I’ve been thinking about going to LA,” Lana said and wiped a glop of ketchup of her thumb.

“Heard there’s a whole community there,” Xander said and took the top off his burger and frowned at the pickles. He picked them off the meat, placed them on a napkin and put the top back. “I’m gonna have to find the rest of them,” he said absentmindedly and licked his index finger to get the dressing off.

“Just be careful, Xander.” Lana said “You’re not the most popular guy in town as it is. The whole slayer thing…” her voice trailed off and they both continued to eat.

“Have you heard anything?” Xander asked and pushed the rest of his burger away.

“Not really,” Lana took a sip of her cola. “I’ve seen a few new girls in town but that’s it.”

“You know where they hang out?” Xander looked over at a group of teenage boys at the next table. They were practically undressing Lana with their eyes. “You need to turn it down, Lana.”

“Huh?” she looked up from the last of her fries. She followed Xander’s line of sight and sighed “Damn. Forgot about that,” she grinned apologetically.

“’S okay,” Xander said and watched as the boys suddenly lost interest and started talking about the new Batman movie.

“So do you know?” Xander repeated. He smiled when he noticed a tiny piece of pickle stuck between her front teeth. “You got something…” he said and pointed at his own mouth. She blushed and managed to remove the offending piece.

“Maybe that abandoned house just outside town…” Lana said and leant back in her seat “You know the one.”

“Carter’s old mansion?” Xander asked.

“That place always freaked me out,” Lana said and shivered.

“Lana,” Xander leant over the table and took her hand.

“Xander?”

“Could you get out of town?” he asked “Just for awhile. Go to LA or somewhere else.”

“It’s that serious?” Lana frowned and intertwined her fingers with Xander’s.

“Yeah.”

“I guess I could,” she said.

“You need money?” Xander stood up and pulled her up with him.

“I’ll pay you back…” she began but Xander just shook his head.

“Don’t think about it,” he said and hugged her “I just want you to be safe,” he whispered into her hair.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Xander watched the throng of bodies swaying on the small dance floor. He had already picked out a guy with startling green eyes. He was dancing alone and Xander had been watching him for the past half hour. He seemed young and healthy…not that Xander had to worry about STD’s. He couldn’t catch any.

The guy laughed when someone bumped into him and walked off the dance floor and over to the bar. Xander moved closer until they were standing next to each other.

“Kinda crowded tonight,” Xander said and watched the other men dance.

“Not too bad though,” the green eyed man said. He was a few inches shorter than Xander.

“Still too crowded for what I had in mind,” Xander flashed the guy a big smile.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Peter gasped and rested his forehead against the pillow. His sweaty hair clinging to his temples.

“God…Alex…ah,” he moaned and grabbed hold of the headboard. “Almost there,” Peter managed to gasp just as Alex put his arms around him and pulled him flush against his chest. Alex’s hands held him in position as he kept thrusting into Peter.

“Shhh,” Alex crooned and Peter immediately relaxed “Just enjoy it.”

Peter nodded and felt Alex’s large warm hands spread out over his heart. Peter closed his eyes. His skin felt tight and warm under those strong hands when Alex groaned into his ear.

\----------------------------------------------------------

Xander finished dressing and looked down at the warm body sprawled across the bed. Xander reached out, took Peter’s wrist and checked his pulse.

Slow but steady.

He brushed his fingers over the faint red rash that was forming over Peter’s heart. It didn’t look different from any other rash and Peter would probably think he’d had a bad reaction to something.

Xander pulled the blanket out from under the sleeping man's legs and gently tucked it around him. He took one last look around the room, just to make sure he hadn’t left anything behind before he walked out of the bedroom and into the hall. He grabbed his jacket and walked out of the apartment.


	4. Chapter 4

“Yeah?” a tired voice groaned through the phone. Xander smiled.

“Hey Jerry,” he said softly “It’s Xander.”

“Xander?” Jerry’s voice was tinted with worry. “You okay, man? I haven’t seen you in any of the bars lately and I know you haven’t been out of town to feed either.”

“Yeah,” Xander nodded despite the fact that Jerry couldn’t see it “Things have been…difficult.”

“I spoke to Lana,” Jerry said “You told her to get out of town. Should I be packing my bags right now?”

“No man,” Xander said “We’re safe…for now anyway. Buffy is on the warpath. You heard about the frat house, right?”

“Uh huh,” Jerry snorted “You just don’t do that in a town like Sunnydale,” he sounded appalled, “Even if they were half starved they should have supped on someone…I don’t know…expendable.”

“Yeah…I just wanted to know if you’d heard anything,” Xander continued.

“You check out the old Carter house?” Jerry asked.

“Nothing there,” Xander answered “Looks like they’ve been there but I don’t know where they moved to.”

“Maybe they left,” Jerry sounded hopeful.

“Life is never that simple,” Xander mumbled.

“Don’t I know it,” Jerry agreed “You well fed, Xander?” he suddenly asked.

“Um…” Xander looked around and noticed a group of teenage boys. They kept looking in the direction of a group of giggling girls. “I’m at the mall…“ Xander said “Surrounded by oversexed pheromone-oozing teenagers.”

“Oh man,” Jerry laughed “You remember when all we had to do in order to get fed was show up for class? We’d sit there surrounded by raging hormones.”

“Man,” Xander nodded enthusiastically “The locker-room was enough to make me feel bloated.” Jerry’s laughter made Xander smile and he closed his eyes as the group of kids walked past him. “Damn!”

“What?” Jerry stopped laughing.

“They just walked by me,” Xander groaned “It’s like fine Belgian chocolate with strawberries and whipped cream.”

“Great,” Jerry sulked “Now I’m hungry.”

\----------------------------------------------------

Spike channel surfed…all twelve bleeding channels.

“Bint selling beer by showing her tits,” Spike snorted and drank from his mug of warm blood. “Weird fuzzy channel… hmmm might be porn,” he tilted his head to the right “Might be National Geographic,” he mused.

“Hey Spike,” Xander said as he came out of the bathroom.

“Whot?” Spike mumbled and kept going through the channels as if his unlife dependent on it.

“You staying on the couch tonight?” Xander was drying his dark hair with a towel. Spike watched the muscles in the boy’s arms flex.

“Yeah,” Spike nodded and licked his lips “Was thinking I would. Bloody cold in the crypt,” he looked back at the TV-screen.

“Okay,” Xander draped the towel around his shoulders and walked over to the small fridge. “You need me to bring back some blood?”

“Ate at the watcher’s before I came over here,” Spike said and stared at the porn slash National Geographic channel. “Is that porn?” Spike asked hopefully. Xander came over and stood behind the couch. He squinted and tilted his head a little, first to the left then to the right.

“Nope,” Xander shook his head “That’s The Disney Channel.”

“But that looks like a tit,” Spike pointed.

“Sorry to burst your bubble,” Xander grinned “but I think that’s Mickey Mouse’s ear.”

“Bloody hell,” Spike groaned.

Xander just laughed and leant forward to take the dark blue shirt hanging over the back of the couch. Spike closed his eyes and breathed in. Boy always smelled fantastic when he left at night. He always came home smelling like sex and, oddly enough, electricity.

“I’ll see if I can’t get my hands on some of that rejected human blood from the hospital,” Xander bent over and tied his shoelaces.

“Think the last one you brought me was filled with drugs,” Spike said and grinned at Xander’s nicely shaped butt.

“So that’s why you kept telling Willow about the small aliens living in Angel’s ass?” Xander smirked.

“Naw. Was telling the truth about those,” Spike said and they both laughed. Spike watched Xander pat his pockets as if he was making sure he had remembered his keys and wallet.

“Well,” Xander said “I’m off.”

Spike listened to the door close and a little while later Xander’s car left the driveway. Spike finally gave up and turned the TV off. He closed his eyes and hummed an old tune.

”Here's to old king Montazuma  
For fun he buggered a puma  
The puma one day  
Bit both balls away  
An example of animal humour.”

Spike chuckled and put the mug on the rickety side table and stretched out on the couch.

\---------------------------------------------

What was it with evil demons and abandoned buildings?

Xander looked at the broken windows and the old dirty walls. He didn’t get it. It wasn’t like abandoned houses made good hiding places. People noticed when buildings, previously unoccupied, suddenly had young sexy women waltzing in and out at the weirdest hours.

It had only taken Xander two days to ask around and locate them. He was actually a little embarrassed about their stupidity and what it said about succubi.

A light was turned on in what had to be the living room. Man, he had no idea how these idiots had survived this long in Sunnydale without Buffy finding and slaying them.

He breathed deeply and checked his pockets again.  
Yep, still had the dagger.

\------------------------------------------------

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Spike pulled the small pillow over his head and groaned into the brown fabric of the couch. It smelled faintly of pizza.

Thud…Thud.

Spike sat up and glared bleary eyed at the door. He waited…

Thud……Thud.

The sound seemed to get fainter and fainter and he stood up, stretched and scratched his belly and yawned. Harris had a key. It was the git’s place so why the fuck would he be knocking?

Unless it wasn’t Xander.

”Bugger off!” Spike growled at the door and stalked over to it. He stood there, arms crossed over his chest, lower lip jutted out defiantly.

Thud….

Spike narrowed his eyes and concentrated on his sense of smell.

Bloody buggering hell!

He was at the door in two swift steps. His hand on the door handle and about to fling the door open when he remembered that the sun was up by now. He pressed his back against the wall next to the door and turned the door handle. He pushed the door open with his foot and watched Xander, covered in blood, tumble forward and land face-first on the cold concrete floor of the basement.


	5. Chapter 5

The pain flooded Xander’s body. Made him see little purple spots even when he closed his eyes. Xander’s fingers were hurting. Broken. They had to be broken and his arm…God, his arm! It felt like fire was consuming him. Slowly roasting him and burning the flesh from his bones.

He had gone there thinking he would have the upper hand. That he could surprise them. Only they hadn’t been surprised. Not the least bit. No they had been waiting. The bitches had been waiting for him and they had shown him just what they thought of half-breeds.

The youngest of them…a kid, nothing but a kid with too big eyes and a gap-toothed smile…she had broken his arm with a tire iron. Swung it like a pro. Kept going at him, even after he was a bleeding mess curled up on the dirty concrete floor of the abandoned house. The dust, swirling in the light coming from the naked bulb in the ceiling, had covered his blood spattered skin.

And they had fed from him. Put their blood-soaked hands on him and drained what was left. He had been sure he was going to die. Had even thought how fucking ironic it was…

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike cursed as he reached out and started dragging Xander further into the basement. The golden light shining down on Xander from morning sun made the skin on the vampire’s hands crackle and blacken.

Finally Xander was out of the doorway and Spike kicked the door shut. He knelt next to the human. Xander was breathing shallowly and his skin was clammy and stained with blood.

Spike hauled Xander up, the human’s hands trying to find something to hold on to and Spike pinned Xander’s hands against his t-shirt covered chest. Xander was damn heavy and even more so because he kept fighting against Spike’s hold on him. They finally made it to Xander’s bed and Spike dumped him on it. Xander moaned and started shivering. His left arm was sticking out at an odd angle.

“Damn it, boy,” Spike mumbled as he started pulling the shoes off the unresisting man, “Must have pissed someone off real good.”

“Mom,” Xander murmured and Spike stopped moving.

“You wouldn’t want me to go get her, Harris. She’d want to know what the hell happened to you,” Spike said as he managed to slowly pull the blood-soaked jacket off Xander. He made sure not to jostle the broken arm too much. Xander gasped and bit into his lower lip. Blood slowly started dribbling down his cheek and dripped on the pillow.

“Should get you to a hospital,” Spike said as he walked over to the kitchenette and found a washcloth, some towels and filled a bowl with warm soapy water. He put the bowl and the towels on the small table beside the bed and started soaking the washcloth in the water.

“Gotta clean you up,” Spike slowly washed the blood spatter of Xander’s face, “Need to see how bad you’re off.”

Xander’s hand suddenly shot out and grabbed on to Spike’s bony wrist. Xander’s brown eyes were focused on Spike. Slowly the fingers clenched around Spike’s wrist lost their strength and Xander simply held on.

“Better get you out of this,” Spike said and gently pulled on Xander’s t-shirt, illustrating what he meant.

Xander shook his head and he let go of Spike’s wrist. Instead his hand pushed against Spike’s chest. Xander thrashed around for a second until he managed to push his right hand up under the vampire’s black t-shirt.

The second Xander’s hand connected with Spike’s chest, Spike knew something was wrong.

His skin felt like it was burning and a sudden rush of adrenaline pumped through him. Travelled from his fingertips and toes to his chest. Xander’s hand was pressed hard against Spike’s skin and the vampire pushed away from the bed and the injured human. He stumbled a few steps and pressed his own hand against his chest. The room seemed to tilt precariously and he closed his eyes until the sense of light-headedness passed.

Through the worn fabric of the t-shirt Spike could feel his unnaturally warm skin underneath. He pulled the t-shirt off and tossed it on the floor.

He traced the burn marks on his chest with a shaking index finger. The size and pattern of a hand was burned into his skin. He looked over at Xander. He had finally passed out.

“What the hell is going on?” Spike asked the unconscious man on the bed.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Xander moaned and slowly tried to sit up. The bed creaked and he gasped when he hit his broken arm against the mattress. White hot pain blasted through him and his vision blurred.

“Steady,” a deep voice murmured and strong hands helped him lie back down.

“Spike?” Xander squinted against the light coming from the lamp in the ceiling.

“Yeah,” Spike nodded as he pushed a few pillows behind Xander’s back. Xander leant against them.

“You need to go get my mother,” Xander said and reached out to touch the vampire’s shoulder with his uninjured hand. Spike pulled abruptly away from the bed and out of Xander’s reach.

“Don’t fancy getting burned again,” Spike said and pulled the hem of his t-shirt up, revealing the burn mark on his chest. Xander stared and then looked away.

“Don’t tell Buffy,” he whispered.

“Figured she’d need to know about this,” Spike said.

“No,” Xander shook his head, “I never…” Xander began.

“What? You never kill anyone?” Spike snarled, “Find that pretty hard to believe, yeah.”

“Just go get my mother,” Xander persisted.

“She a succubus?” Spike asked and stepped closer to the bed.

“No,” Xander looked up at Spike.

“So she just spread her legs for any incubus that happened to come by?” Spike mocked.

“Shut your fucking mouth or…”

“Or what?” Spike asked, “You’ll bleed all over me?”

“Fuck you,” Xander passed out.

\--------------------------------------------------

Spike had no idea why he felt so…betrayed.

He paced back and forth stopping now and then to look at Xander’s unconscious body propped up with pillows on the bed. A shiver would run through the boy every few minutes. The sheets were streaked with blood and Xander was wearing nothing but his boxer shorts.

“Mom,” Xander whispered, his eyes still closed but his fingers grabbing the sheets smearing more blood on them.

\--------------------------------------------------

She was washing up when Spike opened the door that lead from the basement to the kitchen. She had her back to him. Her shoulders slightly hunched as she dried off a large plate and put it in the cupboard over the sink.

“Mrs. Harris?” Spike said calmly but couldn’t help flinching when she dropped a mug on the floor. She turned so fast she almost lost her footing and she reached out, steadying herself against the kitchen counter.

“Sorry,” Spike said, “Should have warned you. Xander introduced us once,” he watched her open her mouth and close it a few times before she finally found her voice.

“You’re Spike. One of Giles’s friends from England, right?” she asked uncertainly.

“Um…yeah,” Spike looked over his shoulder and down the stairs to the basement.

“Is…” she started but then seemed to notice the mug on the floor. She bent down and picked up the pieces meticulously.

“He’s hurt,” Spike said.

Her hand stopped moving and hovered over the biggest piece of the broken mug.


	6. Chapter 6

Spike watched Xander’s mother wash some of the dried blood off the boy’s forehead. She was so tender, the cloth hardly touching the broken skin, and Spike was reminded of his own mother. Reminded of warm and loving hands, lullabies, warm tea and biscuits.

“How long has he been out?” her sudden question startled him and he looked at her as if her words hadn’t registered.

“Whot?” Spike asked, looking at the unconscious body.

“How long?” she repeated, her hand resting on Xander’s shoulder. Her slim pale hand looked almost too small, too childlike, resting like that on Xander’s broad suntanned body.

“Was talking some an hour or so ago,” Spike said quietly and watched the woman trace a small scar on Xander’s shoulder.

“Look…” Spike started.

“You know what he is,” it wasn’t a question so Spike didn’t answer, “He cried when I told him,” she looked up at Spike, “He was twelve and the need to feed was starting. I tried to be gentle, tried to explain how it didn’t change who he was…but…”

“Must have changed everything,” Spike said and absentmindedly rubbed a hand against the already disappearing burn under his t-shirt.

“Yes,” she looked at Xander and tucked a lock of dark hair behind his ear, “I should have taken him away from the Hellmouth,” she murmured.

“You know about…” Spike took a step closer to the bed.

“Of course,” she smiled indulgently, “My son is an incubus. His best friends are witches and slayers,” she looked up at Spike, “And vampires.”

“Not best friends, Mrs. Harris,” Spike insisted.

“Jessica,“ she said.

“Sorry?“ Spike asked confused.

“Call me Jessica,“ she insisted, “He talks about you,” Jessica continued.

“He does?” Spike couldn’t help but feel pleased by that.

She covered Xander with the blanket. “He…” she dried a rebellious tear away, “He’ll sleep now.”

“Happened before, has it?” Spike asked.

“Not this badly…but Tony…” she looked away.

\---------------------------------------------------

“He always worried someone would find out,” Jessica’s voice broke the silence. She was sitting on the edge of Xander’s bed, holding his hand.

“Seems stupid for a demon to befriend the slayer of his own free will,” Spike leant back against the armrest of the couch.

“Xander wouldn’t be Xander if he didn’t at least try to…” Jessica seemed at a loss for words.

“A white knight, he is,” Spike mumbled, “’S in his blood, saving those in need.”

“When he was little…” Jessica carried on as if she hadn’t heard Spike, “He would worry about everything. His friends, the rainforest…I stopped him from watching the news. He’d get so terrified. He had panic attacks…couldn’t breathe. Tony would…He’d spank Xander, said he was weak,” Jessica’s voice was nothing more than a whisper, “Said no son of his would be a sissy,” she laughed quietly.

“Xander isn’t his, is he?” Spike asked.

“No. He was never Tony’s,” Jessica hissed. “I wasn’t going to tell Tony. Xander’s real father…he was…he swept my feet right off the ground…it felt so…so…Like being drugged, I suppose. I never saw him again. I looked for him…but.”

“He probably didn’t stay in town,” Spike said, “They travel. Met a few of ’em. Incubi and succubi. Not known for their ability to settle down. Am kind of surprised the boy stayed in Sunnyhell for so long.”

“If it wasn’t for the Hellmouth and the girls,” Jessica curled her body around Xander, “If it wasn’t for them he would have left years ago. Tony never gave him any reason to stay.”

“Does your husband know?” Spike asked and couldn’t take his eyes off Xander’s pale face.

“He found out when Xander was eleven. Tony wanted us to have another baby. But it turned out he was sterile. Always had been. He…I’d never seen him so mad before. Tony he…he beat me black and blue.”

“Hurt the boy too?” Spike growled, suddenly feeling the urge to go find the bastard.

“No,” Jessica smiled sadly, “There are things worse than being beaten. What he did to Xander was much worse.”

“What?” Spike leant over the back of the couch, intently looking over at Xander.

“He ignored him. Pretended Xander wasn’t even there. Terrorised him with silence,” Jessica whispered, her warm breath ghosting over Xander’s face. Xander slowly moved his hands under the blanket, “Xander? Honey?”

“He’s waking up,” Spike left the couch and moved over to stand at the end of the bed.

“He needs to feed,” Jessica said and wiped Xander’s face with the damp washcloth.

“Fed off me,” Spike said.

“No, that…won’t work.”

“Why not?” Spike could still feel the skin on his chest. It felt stretched, thin.

“He can’t really feed off you…” Jessica took Xander’s hand when it finally found its way into the cool basement air, “It’s like empty calories. No true substance. He’ll feel sated but his body will still be starved.”

“So what do we do?” Spike asked and Jessica looked up at him and smiled sadly.

“We find someone he can feed off,” she simply said.


	7. Chapter 7

She stretched out on the bed and moaned contently. She hadn’t fed that well for what felt like years. Sunnydale was the kind of town where people could disappear or die without the cops doing very much, if anything, about finding out what had happened.

And that boy…mmmmmm…pure power. She smiled up at the slightly cracked ceiling. Things were going just fine. Oh yes. She didn’t have to worry about that damn boy getting in her way anymore and her girls had done pretty good. Tiffany had turned out to be a master at swinging the tire iron. The boy had crawled out of the house. She giggled and put her slim, delicate hand in front of her mouth.

“Yes?” she said when someone knocked on the door to her room.

“It’s just me,” Tiffany said and opened the door enough to poke her head in.

“What? What do you want?” she asked impatiently.

“He’s here,” Tiffany tilted her head indicating someone behind her.

“Who?” she sat up and pulled her crimson robe together around her.

“Me,” a young man said and pushed past Tiffany. The teenage girl snarled at the man’s back.

“It’s all right, Tiff, you can leave us alone,” she stood up and waved dismissively at Tiffany. The door closed and she was left alone with the man.

“Nice place, Shanna,” he said and looked around the bedroom.

“Thank you. I would take credit for the décor but I’m afraid the woman who chose the colours and furniture is currently rotting in the basement. With her husband and son,” Shanna waved a hand at the beautiful green and blue colours adorning the room.

“Of course she is,” he said and kept his attention on her.

“So how can I help you?” Shanna said and sat back down on the bed.

“You know why I’m here,” he growled with irritation.

“Oh…your payment, Jerry. Is that what you came for?” Shanna laughed, “You want your thirty pieces of silver?” she laughed and fell back on the bed, arms spread out. The crimson robe opened and revealed her naked body.

”Just give me my money!” Jerry said and closed his eyes. Her pheromones were filling the room and he was having trouble concentrating.

”What’s wrong?” Shanna said and licked her lips. She slowly got off the bed and sauntered over to Jerry, ”You can’t tell me you don’t like what you see,” she pouted.

”Get off me, skank,” Jerry hissed and stepped away. She laughed and walked over to the dresser, picked up an envelope and threw it at him. The dollar bills fell out of the brown envelope and floated through the air and scattered all over the floor.

”Stupid bitch,” Jerry knelt down and started picking up the money. Shanna walked over to him and looked down at the incubus.

”You half-breeds are weak,” she sneered down at him, ”Your weak human mothers taint the strong blood of the incubi. You want to know what’s really funny about all this?”

Jerry looked up at her, ”What?” he asked reluctantly, tugging at the last dollar bill trapped under Shanna’s naked foot.

She leant down so her face was level with his and said, ”That boy…”

”Xander?” Jerry asked, his voice shaking.

”Mmmmm…Xander,” she licked her lips, ”He was your brother.”

”What?” Jerry’s fingers let go of the bill.

”Not the same mother, of course,” Shanna shook her head, ”But the same father.”

”No,” Jerry dropped the handful of dollar bills. Shanna walked around him so that she was standing with her knees against his broad back.

”Oh yes,” Shanna whispered. She bent down and licked his ear, ”You have the same eyes,” her warm breath ghosted against his ear as she pulled the belt form her robe and wrapped it hard around Jerry’s neck, ”Ironic,” she huffed as she tightened the belt, her foot pushing against Jerry’s shoulder. He gasped and tried to turn.

”Don’t you think it’s ironic?” was the last thing he heard.

\------------------------------------------------

“What a dump,” the young woman said and pulled her skimpy imitated leather jacket closer around her.

“Shut your bloody trap,” Spike said and pushed her over to the basement door. He unlocked the door and ushered her in.

“We’re back,” Spike said to Jessica. She was sitting on the edge of her son’s bed, holding his hand. Somehow she had managed to change the sheets.

“Good,” Jessica said and pulled the blanket further up Xander’s chest as if protecting him from what was about to happen.

“Mom?” Xander moaned.

“I don’t do no freaky incest shit,” the girl said and turned to glare at Spike. The blond pushed past her and walked over to Jessica.

“You sure this is the only way?” Spike whispered to her.

“Yes,” Jessica looked past him and studied the girl.

“Working girl,” Spike said and put a reassuring hand on Jessica’s shoulder.

“I can see that,” Jessica said and looked away from the overly painted whore standing in her basement.

“We’ll just go wait upstairs while Xander…” Spike’s voice trailed off.

“No,” Jessica said and shook her head, “You’ll have to stay. We can’t leave them alone. He’s too weak,” she stood close to Spike and whispered, “He’ll drain her.”

“Can’t her just touch her?” Spike asked, “Like he did me?”

“He could but the energy released during…sex…It’s more powerful and if we do it like this he’ll only need to feed once.”

“Look,” the girl said and walked over to Spike and Jessica, “I don’t really care what’s going on here,” she looked around the dimly lit basement, “But I gotta earn some money and I don’t have all night.”

Spike watched Jessica slowly walk over to the stairs. She stopped and looked over at Spike.

“You’ll take care of him?” Jessica asked.

“Yes,” Spike said.

\------------------------------------------------

“So what’s wrong with him,” the girl asked, chewing bubblegum.

“He’s sick,” Spike said as he gently pulled the blanket off Xander’s body. Xander’s eyes locked with Spike’s and he tried to sit up.

“Don’t,” Spike said and put a hand on Xander’s chest. A burning tingle spread through his fingers and palm. Xander looked over at the girl standing by the bed. He slowly shook his head and looked pleadingly at Spike, “Shhh,” Spike soothed, “It’ll be all right.”

“Am I doing the both of you?” the girl asked and started taking her clothes off. Her fingernails were painted purple, they matched her coloured hair.

“No,” Spike said and took Xander’s hand, “Just him,” he said and looked Xander in the eyes, “I’m just staying here to make sure you’re both going to be okay.” Xander opened his mouth as if to protest but Spike put his hand over it and shook his head, “’S best this way,” he said quietly.

“Whatever,” the girl said and sat naked on the edge of the bed, “As long as I’m getting paid.”

“You’ll get your money,” Spike growled and moved away from the bed.

“Can he even get it up?” the girl asked as she looked down at Xander.

\---------------------------------------------------

Spike sat with his back to Xander and the girl. His hands digging into the covers on the bed until his nails cracked and the borrowed blood in his veins tainted the white sheets. He heard Xander gasp and almost involuntarily turned his head just enough to see Xander’s face.

Xander was looking away from the girl sitting astride him, riding him. His eyes were digging into Spike’s back. Slowly Xander moved his head just enough for him to look into Spike’s eyes.

Xander looked like he was about to throw up.

\------------------------------------------------

“Yeah,” the girl said, “Your almost there,” Spike heard her mumble.

He stood up and watched as Xander reached up and put one hand on her hip and the other just above her heart.

“That’s it,” she mock moaned, “Go on.”

Spike saw the moment Xander started drawing the energy out of her. She reached down and pressed her hand against Xander’s flat stomach, her fingers digging in and her nails dragging long red lines in his skin.

“Oh…” she said and her eyes rolled back, her shoulders slumped and her head lolled to the side. Spike grabbed her, holding her steady while Xander continued to draw from her.

“Y-you…” Xander tried and licked his dry lips.

“What?” Spike asked as he held her up.

“You have to stop me,” Xander whispered, desperation clear on his face.

“Just let go of her,” Spike said and tried to push Xander’s hand away from her chest. He couldn’t.

“You have to,” Xander gasped, “She’ll die.”

“How?” Spike tried to pull her away but Xander just grabbed hold of her hips. Spike let go of the girl and punched Xander in the face.


	8. Chapter 8

Xander rested his forehead against the cold tiles of the shower stall.

“Are you all right?” Jessica asked from the hallway. Xander reached out and turned the ice cold water off.

“Yeah, Mom,” he said, his voice hoarse and croaking. He could hear her move around outside the bathroom door. He wanted to tell her he’d be okay. That he always ended up okay…

He just couldn’t.

\-----------------------------------------------

She looked different now. Smaller…younger.

Jessica handed Spike the roll of black garbage bags and the roll of heavy-duty tape. Her hands shook slightly. She looked down at her hands and clenched them into fists.

“It’ll be all right, yeah,” Spike tried to comfort her.

She just nodded and looked down at the dead girl on the bed. A single beam of sunlight had found its way through the curtains in the basement. It made the skin on her face almost translucent. The veins just underneath the skin stood out almost green, even under all the make up.

“He’ll hate us for this,” she whispered, her eyes focused on the burn marks covering the naked girls chest and hips.

\---------------------------------------

Xander sat at the kitchen table, squinting at the mug of coffee in front of him. His mother had closed all the curtains in the house so Spike could move around freely.

“He did it because I asked him,” Jessica said quietly from her position by the kitchen counter. She looked worn out and her hands nervously kept rubbing at the nonexistent stains on the counter.

“I know,” Xander nodded and looked past her. The basement door was closed but Spike was down there. Alone with the corpse of a girl wrapped in black plastic bags.

“Willow called,” his mother said and took a step closer to his hunched figure.

“What did she want?” he took a sip of his coffee. It was cold but he drank it anyway.

“She wanted you to call her back,” Jessica licked her dry lips uncertainly, “It’s important that you don’t change your routines,” she continued, “You can’t…”

“I know,” Xander emptied the mug and set it down on the table. The soft clink of the mug meeting the formica was the only sound in the room, “Can’t have anyone find out about my dirty little secret,” Xander said and slowly got up.

His muscles hurt and not all of his injuries had been healed. His wrist, he was pretty sure it had been broken, just felt sprained now. The new skin on his upper arm stretched and tingled.

“I’ll be in the basement,” Xander said before Jessica could say anything, “Spike shouldn’t be the one dealing with the body.”

\----------------------------------------------------------

Spike ran his hands through his hair. It was stupid. Feeling guilty about something like this…So a girl was dead. So what? He had killed hundreds of girls. Snapped their necks, watched Dru play with them until her rough games turned them into rotting bodies strapped to the beds.

He had drained them, charmed them, made them follow him into dark and dank alleys where he ended their ridiculously short lives. He had never felt bad about it. Never felt guilty. Not once.

But the form, wrapped in black plastic and propped against the wall like garbage, made him feel sick.

And he realised that it had nothing to do with the girl. Nothing at all.

It had everything to do with the way Xander had looked at him…after.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“Should just dump her in the sewers,” Spike mumbled as he watched Xander gently put the body in the trunk of his car. Xander closed the trunk with a quiet click as if he didn’t want to wake her up.

“No,” Xander said and walked around the car and opened the car door, “She might have family…”

“Xander…” Spike began but Xander just shook his head and got in the car.

“I’m not dumping her in the sewer,” Xander said, eyes focused on the steering wheel, “I’m not dumping her where her family will never find her.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------

She ended up in an alley. Xander spread a few pieces of cardboard on the wet ground and then almost ceremonially put the plastic wrapped body on them. He stood there in the darkness, looking down at her.

“I have rules,” Xander said and looked over at Spike, “No kids, no women.”

“You needed to feed,” Spike crossed his arms over his chest.

“I never feed off women,” Xander repeated, “I have rules…”

“Yeah?” Spike asked irritably, “Well, that’s just you lying to yourself , in’it?” he pointed a finger at Xander, “Trying to play human when your not.”

“Fuck you,” Xander growled and turned so he was facing the vampire, “You don’t get to judge me!”

“Think you can hide it?” Spike said walking over to Xander, “Think pretending is gonna keep the girls loving ya? Cause I’m telling you the second Buffy finds out…” he didn’t get to finish before Xander slammed a fist in his face. Spike stumbled backwards a few steps.

“Yeah,” Xander said, his body rigid, his hands clenching and unclenching, “Yeah, I fucking pretend. You think I want to be what I am? You think I like being a monster,” he pushed past Spike and walked to the opening of the alley. He stood there under the streetlight, the yellow beam making his skin look pale. “So I have rules. No women. Ever. You think I’ve never been tempted? Willow and Tara oozing with lust, Buffy…I always wanted Buffy…And Dawn,” Xander finished.

Spike was in front of him in a split second, his hands grabbing Xander’s grey shirt. “You stay away from her!” he snarled through his fangs.

“Why?” Xander asked, “She reeks of pheromones. It’s practically dripping off her,” Xander's warm breath ghosted over Spike’s face, “She has a crush on me. Do you have any idea how easy it would be?” Spike slammed Xander against the alley wall. Xander just laughed hysterically, “All I’d have to do was use my very special charm. I could have had her years ago,” he mocked.

“Stop,” Spike rested his head against Xander’s chest, “Please stop,” he felt Xander’s arms reach around him and draw him closer. Xander let his head fall forward, resting against Spike’s shoulder.

“I hate what I am,” Xander whispered, “I hate it.”

“Shhh,” Spike soothed, he could feel Xander’s damp tears against his own cool skin.

“I hate it,” Xander repeated, his breath hitching.


	9. Chapter 9

“I’m telling you,” Dawn persisted, “He’s not a troublemaker.”

“Dawn, he skips classes to hang out with his deadbeat friends,” Buffy said and scowled at her little sister. She smiled when she noticed that Xander had entered the Magic Box.

“Everybody does that,” Dawn said but when she noticed Buffy’s death glare she quickly amended, “Other people w-who aren’t me…they sometimes…um…do that.”

“I’d stop before you dig that hole any deeper,” Xander smiled and sat down next to Dawn. Spike snorted from his usual place by the stairs.

“Hey Xander,” Dawn hugged him, “I was just asking Buffy if I could go to the movies with Peter.”

“Peter?” Xander looked over at Buffy.

“Peter-who-plays-drums-in-a-band,” Buffy explained.

“Oh…that Peter,” Xander said and rubbed Dawn’s shoulder.

“You just don’t like his hairstyle,” Dawn whined.

“What hairstyle?” Buffy threw her arms in the air, “He’s bald,” she turned her attention to Xander, “He shaves his head!”

“Could we, perhaps, return to the important matter?” Giles asked and looked around at the Scoobies.

“Oh…um…yeah sure,” Willow turned her attention to the watcher.

“Thank you,” Giles said and sat down at the table, “According to the newspaper,” Giles pushed a folded newspaper across the table in Buffy’s direction, “The police found the body of a young woman…a prostitute…this morning.”

Xander grabbed hold of the edge of the table as if his life depended on it, his eyes involuntarily seeking out Spike.

“She had burn marks on her hip and over her heart,” Giles tapped a finger against the newspaper.

“Where did they find her?” Xander heard himself ask. He saw Spike walk over and stand behind Dawn, the vampire’s hand resting on the back of Xander’s chair, his cool fingers brushing against Xander’s shoulder.

“In an alley,” Buffy said as she studied the paper, “Says here she was wrapped in black plastic bags.”

“Doesn’t sound very demon like,” Spike pointed out.

“Well,” Giles pulled an old book closer, “Normally I would say that this is the kind of thing we should let the police deal with,” he started turning the pages of the book, “But the burn marks indicate that she was drained by an incubus.”

“Succubus…Incubus,” Buffy flicked her hair over her shoulder, “What’s the difference?”

“One is female and the other is male,” Giles said and looked sternly at Buffy, “I believe knowing the gender should make the search easier.”

“But the guys at the frat house were killed by a succubus, right?” Willow asked.

“Yes, well it seems that Sunnydale is overrun with these…um…” Giles shot a look in Dawn’s direction, “Sex addicted demons.”

“How do we know who they are?” Tara looked around at the others, “T-they look human.”

“I consulted Wesley and he found a very helpful spell we could use,” Giles explained and it didn’t take long for Willow and Tara to start making lists of what magic paraphernalia they would need.

Xander could feel the room getting smaller and the air felt thick. Too thick to breathe.

“Are you quite all right?” Giles looked concerned.

“What?” Xander looked up at the watcher.

“You look rather pale,” Giles said.

“No,” Xander shook his head, “No I’m fine…just you know, hard day at work.”

“I see,“ Giles said and turned his attention back to the two witches, “Wesley believes this spell should make it possible for us to identify the succubi and incubi,” Giles carried on, “We had to adjust the spell but we are fairly sure it will work.”

“So what, you do the spell and the succubuses and incubusses end up having demon written on their foreheads?” Buffy asked and didn’t notice Xander brush a hand over his forehead. Spike took a step closer to Xander.

“Succubi and incubi,“ Giles corrected her, “Well…I suppose you could say that,” Giles nodded, “After I cast the spell a red glowing light should appear over the succubus’s heart. The same naturally goes for the incubus.”

“W-when do you plan to cast the spell?” Xander managed to ask.

“Tomorrow,” Giles said, “I suggest we all go to the Bronze and try out the spell.”

“I don’t…” Xander began.

“We’ll all have to go cause we’ll need to check out everybody,” Buffy interrupted.

“Someone should be standing at the entrance and you know go check out the restrooms and stuff,” Willow continued.

“Yes,” Giles nodded enthusiastically.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Xander leant against the alley wall behind the Magic Box. He roughly rubbed his hands against his cheeks, the stubble scratching his palms.

“Could leave town,” Spike suggested and Xander felt Spike’s shoulder bump into him when the vampire leant against the wall as well.

“No,” Xander let his hands fall and slapped them against the dank bricks, “I can’t.”

“Sure you can,” Spike said and turned so he was leaning against the wall with his shoulder, “Tell Buffy you have a sick aunty or some such rot, yeah?”

“I can’t reach Jerry,” Xander said and looked up at the dark sky.

“Jerry?” Spike asked and tossed his half-finished cigarette in a puddle.

“I’ve known him since…,” Xander made a gesture, “Since after I found out about being…what I am,” Xander looked away from Spike, “Anyway…I told him he could stay in Sunnydale. That Buffy was only looking for the girls.”

“Not your responsibility ta make sure they all make it home in one piece,” Spike said and pushed away from the wall, he started pacing back and forth, kicking at old cardboard boxes.

“I told him he would be safe,” Xander persisted.

“Look,” Spike stopped in front of Xander, his pale hands clenched into fists, “I didn’t…do what I did last night so you could go and courageously throw your life away for some damn demon.”

“I promised,” Xander repeated. Spike was standing so close to him now that Xander could see the small specks of darker blue that sparkled in the vampire’s eyes.

“Don’t bloody well throw it away just cause…” Spike grabbed hold of Xander’s shirt, “Think of your mum, yeah? Think about her.”

“Jerry’s my friend,” Xander whispered, “I’ve tried calling him but I keep getting his answering machine…”

“They’ll find out if you stay,” Spike tried one last time, “They’ll find out and then we’ll see how good a friend the slayer really is,” he pressed his hand over Xander’s beating heart.

“Spike?” Xander’s voice was hoarse.

“Got to much heart,” Spike whispered, “Too much heart for ya own good.”

They stood there and just looked at each other for a few seconds. Then Spike suddenly turned away and walked out of the alley.

\--------------------------------------------

A cockroach scrambled over the hardwood floor and disappeared under the bookcase in the dark living room. The answering machine’s red light blinked and a high-pitched beep drowned out the silence.

“Oh…hey,” a nervous voice said, “This is Xander and I’m just calling…again…to make sure you’re all right. Jerry just call me back, okay? You already have my number. I know you do and well…Look I just want you to get out of town for awhile. Shit’s about to hit the fan and I’d feel better if I knew you were safe. Go to LA. I think Lana’s staying there…Call her and just get out of town…okay? Just stay away from the Bronze. Call me when you get this message or…” the machine made another beep and the apartment was silent again.


	10. Chapter 10

Xander looked at his own reflexion. The bright light of the lamp over the mirror made his eyes look bruised. He rubbed at the thin skin under his eyes and took a deep breath. The door to the restroom opened and the music from the dance floor drifted inside the stark white room.

A guy walked past him and into one of the stalls. Xander closed his eyes. His heart was pounding and he could feel the blood rush through his body.

All he had to do was find Jerry and then get the hell out of the Bronze. Xander scrubbed his face with his hands, the stubble making a rasping noise. He straightened his shirt, his hands lingering over his heart. He pressed his palm against the warm skin, the beat of his heart a booming tattoo.

All he had to do was find Jerry.

\----------------------------------------------

Buffy looked from Giles to the two witches.

“So we gonna do this?” she asked and looked suspiciously around the room.

“Yes,” Giles took out the potion, poured it into a small silver bowl and nodded to Willow and Tara.

”Bawa, trauco, lidérc, boto,” the two witches chanted.

The potion evaporated into a red mist, slowly drifting up to the dark ceiling.

”What now?” Buffy asked and patted her pockets to make sure she had her knife and stakes on her.

”Now we wait,” Giles said and hurriedly put the bowl and the small flask the potion had been in into a black cloth bag.

”How long?” Willow looked out at the dance floor. The Bronze was packed tonight and everybody seemed to be dancing.

”According to Wesley it should work within five to ten minutes,” Giles pushed the bag under the table and stood up, ”Well, I suggest we try to cover as much of the club as possible.”

”W-where’s Xander?” Tara asked.

\----------------------------------------------------

Xander was standing in the shadows behind the small scene. The sound of the band playing so loud there, that he could feel the beat of the drums run up through his body.

He caught a flash of something on the dance floor. Xander narrowed his eyes and tried to find it again. It was difficult to make out individual people in the throng of dancers. The pheromones and the scent of lust coming from the crowd didn’t make things easier. It seemed like every horny teenager in Sunnydale had been packed into the Bronze.

There it was again…something emerald green…he’d seen that green silk scarf before. It shimmered in the flashing lights…it disappeared and reappeared. Fading in and out between the dancers.

Xander walked out of the shadows and closer to the dance floor when he saw her.

Lana.

Dancing, her green silk scarf swirling around her.

Xander was about to take another step closer to the dance floor when a strong hand on his shoulder stopped him. He whirled around and stared into Spike’s blue eyes.

“Can’t go out there,” Spike had to yell, the music was drowning out his words.

“I need to get her out of here,” Xander looked over his shoulder and tried to find Lana again, “She’s not like the others.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Spike said pressing his mouth against Xander’s ear and put his hand over Xander’s heart, “You’ve been marked,” the vampire breathed against the incubus’ ear.

Xander looked down and saw a crimson light glowing on his chest.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy walked over to the entrance to the club. Sooner or later everybody would have to go home and she had the best view of the dance floor from her position next to the door.

Seeing people’s chests was a lot harder than she had expected. The crowd seemed to gravitate toward the horde of dancing teenagers on the dance floor.

She searched the other parts of the club she could see from her vantage point. Small giggling groups of girls kept disappearing into the restrooms. They looked so young, kids out having fun. It could have been Dawn.

Buffy shivered. She tapped her fingers against the stakes in her back pocket.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

She was dancing with her eyes closed. Her hips rotating, her arms in the air. She turned and pushed against the guy she was dancing with, her back was pushing against his chest. She reached back and pulled his hands down to her hips, her own fingers entangling with his.

“God you’re so hot,” his warm breath tickled her ear.

She felt drunk. The man’s pheromones getting to her head, making her skin tingle with sensation. She closed her eyes and hummed quietly. She wasn’t sure this was a good idea but she was hungry. And the bronze was filled with teenagers almost dripping with pheromones.

She was here to talk to Xander. She vaguely remembered that. She needed to talk to Xander cause something was wrong with Jerry. She’d heard rumours. Ugly rumours. And if they were true then Xander had to be told.

She had tried to call Jerry, wanted him to tell her that it wasn’t true, that Jerry would never betray Xander like that…

The guy kissed her neck and her knees almost buckled.

“Hey,” he chuckled against her sensitive skin, “Easy there.”

She needed to find Xander…but…maybe she could just feed first…

Yeah, she could do that…

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

“We have to get you out of here,” Spike growled and looked around the club.

“No,” Xander said and tried to pull his hand out of Spike’s hard grip, “I’m not going without her.”

“Don’t be bloody stupid!” Spike pushed Xander back into the shadows and looked over his shoulder. The watcher was keeping an eye on the bar. Maybe if Spike could distract him for a minute or two…just long enough for Xander to get the hell out of there.

“I’m not leaving her,” Xander insisted and finally managed to push past Spike. The vampire cursed and tried to grab on to the back of Xander’s shirt before he was completely out of the shadows. A huge man with an armful of beer bottles got in the way.

“Fuck!” the man shouted when he dropped two of the bottles. The beer spattered against his grey jeans, “Look where you’re going, jerk!“ he took a threatening step toward Spike.

“Look, mate,” Spike said as he desperately tried to keep his eyes on Xander, “I don’t have time for this shite.”

“Yeah? Well you’re gonna make time, you dumb faggot!”

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Xander shouldered his way through the crowd of people standing in his way. He could see Lana. She was dancing with a tall, blond man. He was holding on to her hips and they gyrated against each other.

Xander could smell them. The salty heat of the man and Lana’s mesmerising warmth. She was smiling contently, her eyes closed. She hadn’t noticed the red glow over her heart.

It made her green silk scarf look like burnt cinnamon.

\----------------------------------------------------------

“Do you see anything?” Willow asked Tara and stopped next to the bar.

“N-no,” Tara shook her head, her blond hair hiding her face, “Maybe we were wrong. Maybe they wouldn’t go to a place like the Bronze?”

“Yeah,” Willow said, “I guess it would be easier to stay unnoticed if they hunted around the bars.”

“Shouldn’t we tell G-giles?” Tara asked and pointed over at the watcher. Willow waved and caught Giles’ attention. He walked over to them, avoiding the dancers.

“Yes?” he asked, speaking loudly to be heard over the booming music.

“I don’t think we’ll find anything here,” Willow said and took a step closer to Giles, “The potion should have revealed them if they were here.”

“I agree,” Giles said and looked around the club, “Perhaps it would be wiser if we tried the potion in more um quiet and simpler surroundings.” He turned and looked around, trying to spot Buffy.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

This was really getting boring. Buffy frowned at the moron who was trying to pick her up.

“Look,” he said and dangled drunkenly back and forth, “You’re like a total babe.”

“Yeah,” Buffy said flatly, “Great. Thanks, now go away.”

“We’d be like so good together,” his foul breath hit her right in the face, “You with your beu…,” he hiccupped, “…beauty…and-and me with my…” he waved his hand in the air.

Buffy sighed and walked away from the entrance. God, some guys just shouldn’t drink…or breathe. Now she had to find a place where she could still see the door but wouldn’t be putting herself in a vulnerable position.

\----------------------------------------------------------

“What the…?!” the man Lana was dancing with glared at Xander. Xander just glared right back at him and started dragging Lana away from the dance floor.

“Xander?” Lana mumbled, staggering after him.

“Just…We need to get the hell out of here, okay?” Xander didn’t turn around as he spoke to her but just kept walking toward the back of the club. He knew there was a door leading to the alley, but he’d have to drag her across the dance floor and past the bar to get to it. If he was lucky he could get Lana over to the back of the scene. She could hide there long enough for Xander to figure out what to do next.

“Xander?” someone asked from behind him and he stopped, his heart beating so hard it felt like it might pop right out of his chest.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Buffy noticed Willow and Tara standing near the scene where the band was playing. They were facing a young woman. Buffy narrowed her eyes and saw the crimson glow on the girl’s chest.

“Finally,” she cheered quietly and waved to get Giles’ attention. The watcher frowned. Buffy waved again then pointed in Willow’s direction.

Giles nodded and started walking over to the two witches.

\----------------------------------------------------------

“Just let us leave,” he said, still facing away from Tara and Willow.

“You don’t know what you’re doing, Xander,” Willow looked anxiously at the young woman. She looked slightly dazed. The crimson light coming from her skin made the beautiful green scarf she was wearing look dirty.

“S-she’s using her powers o-on you,” Tara stuttered.

“I know what I’m doing,” Xander pleaded, “She’s not the one Buffy’s looking for.”

“But…” Willow sounded puzzled.

“Please,” Xander said and turned around to look at the two witches, “Just let us leave,” the red light shining from his chest made Willow’s pale skin look flushed in the shadows of the club.

\---------------------------------------------------------

“You’re gonna buy me and my friends a new round, jerk!“ the man with the beer spattered jeans demanded.

“Not a chance, git,“ Spike growled and for a split second he showed his true face.

“Shit!” the guy said and took a stumbling step backwards. He bumped into a girl, causing her to spill her pink drink down the front of her dress.

Spike couldn’t help laughing as he pushed through the crowd on the dance floor.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Willow and Xander just stood there. She kept opening and closing her mouth, searching for words that just didn’t seem to come.

“What’s going on?” Lana finally seemed to be coming down from her pheromone induced high. She stared at the two witches and then turned her attention to Xander. Her eyes were immediately focused on the red glow on Xander’s chest. She reached out putting her hand over it. The light seemed to filter right through it.

“Xander?” she asked confused and took a step away from him. He strengthened his hold around her wrist.

“It’s going be okay,” he said quietly. She looked down at her own chest.

“No,” she started rubbing her hand over the glowing skin.

“Xander?” Willow tried again, her eyes brimming over with tears, “I don’t understand…are you…are you…”

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy huffed as she had to shove another giggling airhead teenager out of her way. Giles was slightly more polite.

“Excuse me,” he mumbled, “Pardon me, oh dear, sorry.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------

“Willow?” Tara gently touched her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Y-you’ve been lying,” Willow stammered, “All these years you’ve just been lying to us.”

“No,” Xander said and pulled Lana closer when she started pulling away from him, “I never lied…”

“I think…” Willow interrupted, her voice trembling, “I think I would have remembered if you’d told me you’re a-a…”

“Demon,” Buffy finished for her.

Xander took a step away from Willow and Tara. Buffy was standing behind the two witches. Xander could see Giles pushing past a couple slow dancing on the edge of the dance floor. The watcher looked flushed.

“I never lied about the important things,” Xander said.

“Sorry,” Lana mumbled against his chest.

“Not your fault,” Xander closed his eyes and then opened them again, looking straight at Buffy.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike stopped moving when he saw Xander cornered. The rest of the Scoobies standing in front of the incubus in a half circle.

Spike muttered curses as he started looking for a way to stop the inevitable.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

“I think that you have to kill people to stay alive is something I would have liked to know,” Buffy said, her hand hovering over the knife sticking out of her pocket.

“I don’t kill people,” Xander took another step back. Lana was clutching the front of his shirt.

“You’re an incubus,” Giles took off his glasses and looked at them as if he couldn’t figure out what to do with them. Xander studied the faces of those he had always thought of as friends.

“Yes,” he admitted.

“Then,” Giles said and put his glasses back on, “I’m certain you’ve killed.”

“I never meant to kill any of them,” Xander said.

“I just don’t understand,” Willow said and took a step toward Xander, Buffy’s hand on her shoulder stopped her.

“I know,” Xander smiled sadly, “I never meant to lie to you about this.”

“Look,” Buffy said, “Just…” she looked uncertainly from Giles to Xander, “Just hand her over,” she pointed at Lana, “You didn’t kill the guys at the frat house. But she did…”

“No,” Lana protested.

“She didn’t,” Xander shook his head, “She’s not like that.”

“Are you trying to tell us that she isn’t a….” Buffy was suddenly interrupted by the loud wailing of the fire alarm.

\------------------------------------------------------------

Xander felt like he was moving through thick liquid. He had been running non-stop for the past fifteen minutes. Lana had lost her shoes somewhere outside the Bronze and the sound of her bare feet hitting the asphalt was the only sound he could hear.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew Buffy would find him sooner or later. But if he could just get back home… he’d have a chance…if he could just get to his car.

\------------------------------------------------------------

Spike waited until the Bronze was empty. He wiped the last few pieces of glass of his hand as he walked away from the club. The fire trucks were already blocking the street, the road filled with confused teenagers..

He noticed Buffy impatiently discussing something with her watcher, the two witches standing together behind the slayer. Willow was crying, her head hidden in Tara’s blond locks.

\------------------------------------------------------------

“Xander,” Lana was wheezing, she kept rubbing her chest. The crimson glow had disappeared somewhere between the Bronze and Xander’s house.

“We just need to…” Xander pushed another bag into the trunk of the car.

“I’m sorry,” Lana managed to whisper. Xander stopped what he was doing and turned around to look at her.

“Why didn’t you just stay in LA?” he asked, his hands clenching and unclenching.

“I heard something…about Jerry,” she wouldn’t look him in the eyes.

“You met him there?” Xander asked, “I’ve been calling him…”

“No,” she shook her head, the green scarf blowing in the wind, “I heard…he sold you out, Xander.”

“What?” Xander turned his back on her and angrily started throwing the last bags into the car, “You’re lying…” he slammed his hand against the side of the car, “They knew I was coming,” he whispered quietly, “I should have known…”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled and sat down on the curb.

\------------------------------------------------------------

“I wish I had time for…” Xander hugged his mother and felt her hand grab the back of his shirt as if she could force him to stay if she just held on strong enough.

“Call me,” she mumbled against his ear, her breath hitching.

“Yeah,” Xander nodded and sighed, “I’ll call.”

He let go of her and walked over to the car. Lana was sitting in the passenger seat, her eyes closed as if she didn’t know where to look.

“Got room for one more?” a familiar voice asked.

“Yeah. You bring a blanket to throw over yourself so you don’t turn to dust when the sun rises?” Xander looked over at Spike.

“Ah,” Spike actually looked ashamed, “I seem to’ve forgotten that on my wild dash over here.”

“Come with me,” Jessica said and walked back into the house.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

Spike felt like a school boy for the first time in at least a hundred years.

He watched Jessica pack a few items into a plastic bag. Fruit and bread, a few cans of soda. She walked over to the couch and grabbed hold of the old blanket that was draped over it.

“Here,” she looked Spike in the eyes and held out the blanket.

“Thank you,” Spike said and took it.

It was a thick quilted blanket. Someone had worked long and hard to make the intricate design.

“My mother made that,” Jessica said and took a deep breath, “Take care of my boy?” she asked, a few tears running down her cheeks.

“I will,” Spike promised.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

“All set to go?” Xander asked when Spike walked over to the car.

“Yeah,” the vampire nodded.

“Good,” Xander said unconvincingly and stepped back so Spike could get into the backseat.

“You leaving without saying goodbye?” Buffy’s voice surprised Spike so much he banged his head against the roof of the car.

“Bleeding hell,” he moaned and rubbed the side of his head as he got back out of the car.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t see you before we left,” Xander said honestly and stared at the Scoobies.

“Well, yeah I can see that,” the slayer nodded.

“So,” Xander gestured at Giles and the witches, “You’re all here for the showdown?”

“No,” Willow denied.

“So what? You want me to…fight you,” Xander looked at Buffy.

“Even if you’ve lied to us…” Buffy started, then she shrugged and took the knife and the stakes out of her pockets. Spike tensed up and he could hear Lana gasp.

“Are you prepared to kill me? Are you, Buffy?” Xander asked, “Cause I gotta tell you…I’m not just going to give up without a fight.”

Buffy opened her hands and let the stakes and the knife clatter to the ground. She looked up at Xander.

“Head for the hills, Xander,” she brushed a hand against her cheek, “If I ever see you here again…”

Willow sobbed and Tara hugged her, Xander just nodded numbly and let Spike get into the car.

“Could you look in on my mother?” Xander asked as he got into the car, “Make sure she’s safe?”

Buffy looked at the house.

“She’s not…” Xander began.

“I’ll look after her,” the slayer promised.

Xander took a deep breath. Started the car and drove out of Sunnydale.


	11. Getting picked, Incubus drabble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue to Incubus

“Oh my God!” Johnny said and grabbed on to Noah’s wrist hard enough for him to flinch, “It’s him!” Noah looked puzzled and started to turn.

“Don’t fucking turn around!” Johnny’s grip on Noah’s hand tightened a fraction, “Just turn your head slowly, casual like.” Noah sighed and rolled his eyes but did as he was told. He turned slightly in his seat and looked over his shoulder.

The club was filled with people dancing, talking and drinking. Mostly men but there were a few women here and there. The flashing lights made the dancers change colour to the beat of the music. Noah scanned the throng of dancers.

“Who am I suppose to be looking at?” he turned back to Johnny.

“Over there,” his friend said, “At the bar,” he continued with an unnecessary whisper, no one apart from Noah could hear him over the loud music. Noah pushed his chair back to get a better view of the bar.

“God!” Johnny let go of Noah’s wrist, “You just don’t know the meaning of the word discrete.”

“Look, man, I can’t fucking see him if I’m not allowed to look in his direction,” Noah groaned.

“Yeah, yeah,” Johnny sulkily relented.

“So which one?” Noah asked. Knowing Johnny’s taste in men he was expecting it to be the short redhead standing at the end of the bar.

“There. Standing next to the blond,” Johnny discretely pointed.

“Okay,” Noah nodded, “Yeah, I see him. He looks good…tall, broad shouldered…”

“I’m telling you,” Johnny interrupted and took a gulp of his beer, “That guy…the best sex ever.”

“Really?” Noah studied the man. His hair was dark and just long enough to curl behind the ears. He was talking to the bartender, laughing and smiling a quirky smile.

“Uh huh,” Johnny leant back in his chair, “I’m talking about the kind of orgasms you only dream about. Urban legend orgasms.”

Noah snorted and turned his attention to Johnny, “Oh come on.”

“I passed out, Noah,” Johnny sighed and ran a hand through his dark curls, “I passed out and it felt freakishly great. I mean I was totally blown away for two days after…completely drained.”

Noah turned around and looked over at the man again. Mr. Knock-you-out-with-sex was wearing a black t-shirt with the Tasmanian devil on it. Noah watched him lean over and whisper something in the blond’s ear. The blond leant closer to the taller man and seemed to be answering. Suddenly they both looked straight at Noah.

The blond smirked and leant against the bar, his hands in the pockets of his tight black jeans. The dark-haired man smiled at Noah.

Noah smiled back.

“Oh man!” Johnny’s excited voice made Noah turn his attention to his friend, “You’ve been picked.”

“Picked?” Noah asked confused.

“They come here once or twice a month and they pick up a guy,” Johnny explained.

“You mean,” Noah swallowed, “For like a threesome?”

“Well,” Johnny said vaguely, “Not really. Alex is the only one having sex with the guys they pick up.”

“Alex?”

“The tall one,” Johnny said conspiratorially.

“What does um…” Noah tilted his head in the blond’s direction.

“Spike, the blond is called Spike.”

“Right. So what does Spike do while Alex…um?” Noah could feel Alex and Spike watching him.

“While Alex fucks your brains out?” Johnny laughed.

“Yeah,” Noah sounded breathless.

“He watches,” Johnny grinned but abruptly stopped and licked his lips, “They’re coming over here. Damn you’re lucky!” Johnny said as he got up to greet the two men.


End file.
